Since its founding, Bricker & Eckler has participated in numerous projects that enhance our communities and support economic growth. Over the course of these projects, the firm has been recognized by the state and its various political subdivisions, as well as by the underwriting community, as a law firm with a national caliber bond counsel opinion. We excel in both routine and complex financial transactions. Our list of clients continues to grow based on the favorable recommendations of the many public officials we have represented.

We represent the state, cities, counties, school districts, libraries and colleges in seeking the most economical and efficient ways to finance their capital programs. From clients who are contemplating a bond financing for the first time to those who are frequent issuers, we supply comprehensive advice that begins with the preliminary planning stage, continues through the process of committee meetings, board meetings and council meetings, and culminates after the capital has been secured.

Bricker & Eckler’s Public Finance group is known for developing innovative financing structures, and several members have actively participated in the drafting of statutory and constitutional provisions that govern bond finance in Ohio. Additionally, our lawyers are listed in the “red book” of bond counsel, the standard reference source used by underwriters and other purchasers of securities.

Our attorneys also routinely work on many other types of structured finance transactions, and we are experienced in documenting and structuring financings involving both public and private entities.

Bricker & Eckler helps school districts obtain and maintain the resources they need to run flourishing educational hubs. Whether financing new facilities or assisting with levy planning, our attorneys support effective public finance strategies. Our experience includes bond and note issuances and tax levies, as well as lease-purchase arrangements, collaborative agreements, protection of assessed valuation, tax abatement and exemption issues, booster and foundation support, and more.

Municipal/County/Township Bond Finance

Our attorneys have always worked with representatives from political subdivisions to supply their citizens with the infrastructure and services they need. And serving as bond counsel has been a key component of Bricker & Eckler's foundation since the firm’s inception. We routinely serve as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, trustee counsel, issuer's counsel and/or company counsel in financings ranging from large general obligation and revenue bond issues to small bond issues on behalf of public entities throughout the state.

State of Ohio & State Agency Finance

Our firm’s history of supporting the State of Ohio and its agencies runs deep. Our attorneys are intimately familiar with the State’s fiscal processes and have worked with public officials for decades to provide the funds that keep our state running. From job-creating programs to bond and note issuances, we help Ohio’s government entities both create and use the financial tools that optimize our state’s resources.

Economic Development Finance

Several financing tools are available to help public entities jumpstart economic growth. We work with governments to acquire the resources they need to create and maintain jobs through special programs established by Ohio law. Tax increment financing and joint economic development districts are just a few of our specialties; we’ve worked with numerous cities, counties, villages and more to find creative and realistic funding options.

Energy Finance & PACE

Serving as bond counsel for the first-ever property assessed clean energy (PACE) bonds issued in Ohio, Bricker & Eckler is a trailblazer in helping public entities uniquely finance energy-related projects. A properly structured financing transaction can provide capital to municipalities, school districts, counties, townships and port authorities without impacting certain local debt limitations. Property owners who take advantage of these funding opportunities may use the money to update existing office buildings or warehouses or acquire an alternative energy source, like solar panels or wind turbines.

Health Care Finance

Our attorneys have current, cutting-edge knowledge in all areas of finance across the spectrum of the health care industry. Whether embarking on new initiatives or rethinking existing capital structures, our health care clients admire our ability to research and follow through with complex transactions. We leverage our experience in public finance, tax, health, securities, charitable trust, creditor’s rights and contract law to find creative fiduciary options within the regulatory and legal parameters that exist in this booming industry.

Library Bond Finance & Levy Planning

Public libraries are an important catalyst of learning and growth in our communities. Libraries’ continued success is dependent on the funds they obtain. Whether borrowing money from note or bond issuance or raising money through a voter-approved levy, Bricker’s Public Finance team can offer guidance through all stages of the process. Having partnered with dozens of libraries across the state, we bring well-rounded experience to any library’s next financial matter.

Experience

$1.6 billion development in Warren County

Served as special counsel to a township in connection with a 1,230-acre, $1.6 billion mixed-use development in southwest Ohio. The transaction involved negotiating and structuring a tax increment financing (TIF) program with 22 incentive districts and 8 parcel TIFs, and the establishment of a new community authority to finance the infrastructure necessary to make the development possible.

Assisted the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District with structuring and creating a process for implementing a program to encourage 43,000 downtown Columbus, Ohio, commuters to bus to work. Capital Crossroads SID is an organization that represents business owners working to keep the downtown area a clean and safe place to work and live. The goals of the bus pass program are threefold: address the limited downtown parking situation, fill vacant offices and improve air quality.

Assisted a developer with the negotiation of a development agreement with the City of Dublin for the mixed-use redevelopment project known as Bridge Park. The work included the creation of a new community authority and the implementation of multiple tax increment financing (TIF) arrangements to provide a portion of the revenue stream necessary to secure bonds issued in multiple series to fund core infrastructure improvements, including structured parking and an events center. Also served as bond counsel for multiple series of bonds issued by the Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority.

Served as bond counsel to an Ohio port authority in the financing of efficiency upgrades to Dayton's Delco building, a historic landmark located in the city’s Water Street District. The bonds will be repaid using the PACE financing tool. Additionally, the project has received state historic tax credits, and the Delco building has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.

Served as bond counsel for the issuance of two series aggregating $630 million in General Receipts Bonds of The Ohio State University issued as the first installment in a billion dollar borrowing program. The program is the first of its kind “shelf style” bond issuance for a public university. Responsibilities included drafting documents to reflect the understanding of the parties, as well as the tax analysis necessary with respect to the use of proceeds. As bond counsel, we rendered our approving opinion as to the authorization and valid issuance of the bonds.

Served as bond counsel to an Ohio port authority in the financing of efficiency upgrades to the downtown Columbus PNC Plaza building. These upgrades were part of a PACE financing program. The deal included a low-interest loan from Franklin County in addition to the bonds that the finance authority sold. The project is expected to save the owner of the building about $187,000 per year.

Served as bond counsel for the issuance of over $218 million in Major New State Infrastructure Project Revenue Bonds. Responsibilities included drafting documents to reflect the understanding of the parties, as well as the tax analysis necessary with respect to the use of proceeds. As bond counsel, we rendered our approving opinion as to the authorization and valid issuance of the bonds and their status of being exempt from federal income taxation.

Assisted an Ohio school district in the issuance of bonds in which the perceived security for the bonds was threatened by the financial woes of the county’s largest employer and taxpayer. Our attorneys provided timely and critical information to the bond rating agency and investors regarding how oil and gas leases and mineral rights are valued for property tax purposes and the potential impact of a bankruptcy filing on the payment of property taxes for the bonds.

Represented a developer in a rare and unique agreement among the city, the school district and the developer for the redevelopment of a large foreclosed property. The agreement caps the number of multi-family rentals on the property to control school enrollment, while still providing for economic growth.

Successfully negotiated payments to offset lost revenues to total $1 million for a school district from an outlet mall developer over the taxation of a $100 million mall. Worked with the school district to evaluate levy options given proposed development.

Represented a county hospital that became affiliated with a large health care system, obtaining all regulatory approvals, overseeing self-disclosure of potential Stark issues and assisting with the payoff of outstanding bonds.

Served as counsel to a real estate developer for redevelopment of industrial property in Grandview Heights. Devised a unique public finance approach to funding $120 million infrastructure needs with scarce public resources and negotiated with Grandview Heights to utilize Ohio's TIF and community reinvestment area laws to implement an alternative tax structure for Grandview Yard.

Helped a real estate developer refinance and upgrade its office park partially to improve energy efficiency by working with the developer to levy PACE special assessments, secure a PACE loan with the special assessments and pass the obligation through to tenants.

Represented governmental hospital and acted as borrower's counsel in $25 million hospital revenue bond financing, successfully negotiating a unique provision that permitted the hospital to convert to private nonprofit status in the future without having to obtain the consent of the bondholders.

Assisted several Fortune 500 companies in locating their operations centers, distribution centers and warehouses in Ohio. Projects involved rezonings, variances, environmental permittings and remediations, financings, and coordinating tax abatement and other economic incentives from state and local governmental agencies.

Negotiated the turnover of a major manufacturing and high-tech repair facility on a U.S. Air Force Base to a newly created port authority. The project facilitated the privatization-in-place of that facility and the retention of jobs. We assisted with leasing additional build-to-suit space for other tenants and the expansion of the resulting port authority-owned industrial park to create additional development sites and jobs.

Counseled a luxury hotel in a riverfront urban renewal development project involving air rights, private and public financing and a joint venture of local businesses, including four Fortune 500 companies.

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"I am familiar with the work of several of the attorneys at Bricker & Eckler. I have always been very pleased with the results of their work to assist the city in debt financing. However, what impresses me most about the firm is its assistance in maintaining our post-issuance compliance with debt financing and assistance in maintaining and improving our debt rating presence."